Chapter 8: A New Reason to Fight

Running through the blood-soaked snow to be reunited with my love was not how I imagined we would reunite after these long months. Nor did I expect to have to tell him what I must. I see him on Midnight injured but alive. I run up to him, and he jumps down from Midnight to meet me halfway. I stop in front of him, only just how threatening his injuries are, but I am still grateful that he is alive. He hugs me tightly as if he is unsure if I am actually there. I smile, holding him gently, careful to not hurt him further. He then says, "Sorry, it took me so long to come home. We ren into a few troubles on the way back." I smile as he wipes a tear from my cheek that I did not realize was falling. I am just so happy to see him and was unsure if the kingdom would survive and I would get to see him again. I look at him, saying, "no need to be sorry. If you came past troubles, then it wasn't your fault. But I have something to tell you once we get you bandaged up and in bed. It's about our future together as king and queen."

We stroll back to the castle, and Midnight fallows us. Once we get there, my retainers are quickly at work, bringing those injured medical help. We creep through the mess from the battle that we almost lost, making our way to the castle doors, through the winding halls to our room. The castle doctor is waiting and looking frazzled, that I left to go fight. The doctor runs and starts checking on me, making sure everything is ok with me. Not paying attention to Danny, who is bleeding, and I just have a few bruises and scrapes. The doctor says, " my queen, you shouldn't have gone out there to fight. You are no longer have just your health to look out for." I take Danny to the bed so that he can sit down, and he has a confused look on his face and says, "Luna, what is he talking about?" I look down at the ground, saying, "well, umm… how to put this? Our castle is about to become less…..empty." The doctor tends to Danny's wound while I try to explain it to him because I am having a hard time explaining it to him. After some time of me trying to explain the newfound situation, the doctor gets frustrated and says, "you two are going to have a child so rest up." After that, Danny is in complete shock as he stumbles over his words, "we…you…your…" I nod my head, saying, "yes, I just found out the other day." He holds his hand out to me to take then we rest the rest of the night, enjoying the company of each other.

The next day I wake up later than usual, which is unlike me to do so. I look out the window from the bed then I hear a knock on the door. That was when I noticed Danny was not in bed. The door opens, and Richards and Danny are both there with food. I smile with a small laugh. Danny then says, "I've taken care of most of your work today, and I did the first rounds of the day. I have also assigned tasks for the villagers to get repairs started." I smile, saying, "you didn't have to do all that alone. I could have helped." He just shakes his head, sitting down on the bed next to me, and Richards puts a tray of food between us. Danny says, "its ok everyone told me how hard you were working to keep everyone's spirits alive. So for at least the next couple of days, please just rest not only for yourself but for our future child." I smile, saying, "Fine, I will as long as you promise not to overwork yourself, deal?" he just nods his head, saying, "I can't wait for our future." I smile and say, "now we just have to fight harder because there is more at risk now." We eat the meal together in silence afterward.

After we finished eating, Silvia comes in to help me get dressed, but it is starting to get a little tight when she does. So Silvia makes a few adjustments, and it's a bit better. The doctor estimates that I have been this way for a couple of months now, but he is unsure. All he knows is the child is healthy. Though I'm not sure that I am ready. I mean, we are in the middle of a war that I am leading. I can go out on the battlefield again, and I am the only one who has magic that can combat the Dark Warlock's magic. I don't know what I am going to do it is not like the dark warlock is just going to wait nine months or so to continue the war, and I can just leave the soldiers to fight this alone. I mean, they would have my retainers and their future king. Still, my mother gave everything she had to try to stop this, so the least I can do is end this war before any more lives are lost. Still, I can't risk losing this child because of my foolishness to jump into battle so quickly. We need a plan, and the others need to know.

Once I am dressed, I leave my chambers with Danny right next to me, making our way to the throne room to make a significant announcement about this kingdom's future. We make our way through the winding halls until we reach the guarded throne room when we stop to collect ourselves before entering.

When we collect ourselves, we nod to the guards to let them know that we are ready to enter the room. The doors open wide, revealing a room full of soldiers, villagers, and kingdom leaders and representatives. We walk together through the crowd, and I can tell that Danny is nervous. I take his hand in mine, trying to comfort him because I know how it feels to be anxious and unsure. We reach our thrones, and my retainers are at the front of the vast crowd. We sit on our thrones, and people start reporting what is going on in the nearby lands.

Once the reporting is done, I speak with the news that we called this meeting for.

"We wish to tell you that we need your help to defeat the Dark Warlock. This has become very urgent for us, for, we are expecting. We wish to have this war over before bringing this child into a world of war. This has become important to us because we believe that history should not repeat itself. So please stand with us for we want to end this and soon. Before I am to start showing and unable to aid with my magic or come onto the battlefield. To finish the dark warlock once and for all." This information causes gasps all around the throne room because this was not the news that they were expecting. But Danny and I need their help to form a plan to save the lands, protect our people, and save our future. This is our last chance the next battle will be the last we will make sure of it the war ends now to save the future for us all.

As the meeting continues, a plan starts to formulate, and our futures are looking to be a bit brighter. I notice that the sun is beginning to shine through the stained glass window. Colors gleam off the walls and off of the people in the room. After so much despair, loss, and hopelessness, I can finally feel a little at ease now that the hope fills the room with the colored light in the room. I know tonight I will yet be able to rest easy because the end of winter is close. The crops will soon be able to grow, and life will come back to our beautiful lands. It will be lively once again. I cant wait to see the children playing in the fields and the town center. The taverns are full of energetic folks after dark. The inns never vacant for people aren't afraid to travel anymore. The farmers not worrying if they will lose their farms to war. I've only ever heard that this was how it was before the war. I can't wait to raise a child in a warless home to teach them how to keep peace and stand up for those around them.

Lost in my thoughts, I feel someone touch my shoulder then hear them say my name. I shake my head to focus on the conversation. Not on my thoughts of the future. Those thoughts can wait for after the war is over.